Territory



(No Model.)

W. F. STEELE.

HYDROOARBON VAPORIZER AND BURNER.

No. 387,929. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

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UNITED STATES ATENT @rrrce XVILBUR F. STEELE, OE STEELE, DAKOTATERRITORY.

HYDROCARBON VAPORIZER AND BURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,929, dated August14, 1888.

Application filed May 7, 1888. Serial No. 273,106.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILnUR F. STEELE, of Steele, in the county of Kidderand Territory of Dakota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hydrocarbon Vaporizers and Burners, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in hydrocarbon Vaporizers andburners, by the use of which liquid hydrocarbon may first be convertedinto gas, then mingled with a suitable amount of air, and then burned;and the objects I have in view are to produce a hydrocarbon vaporizerand burner of the improved construction hereinafter disclosed.

My invention consists, generally, in the con struction and arrangementor combination of parts hereinafter disclosed in the description,drawings, and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which the same reference-numerals indicate the same or correspondingparts, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved burner;Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same; Fig. 8, alongitudinal vertical section showing a slightly-modified constructionthereof, and Fig. 4 a similar view of another modification of the same.

The vaporizer and burner consists of the burner proper, in which the gasand air are consumed; the supply-pipe,through which the liquidhydrocarbon is conducted from any suitable reservoir; the vaporizer andthe retort or superheater, which are arranged horizontally over saidburner, so as to be surrounded by the flame therefrom and cause theliquid bydrocarbon passing therethrough to be converted into gas; thepipe and the needle-valve, through which the gas passes from saidretort, the pipe or tube into which the gas is received with asufiicient amount of air, which will be carried by the current of gasinto said pipe or tube; and the mingling-chamber, in which the air andgas are intimately or thoroughly mixed.

In the drawings,the numeral 3 represents a mingling-chamber of anysuitable size and shape, in which the air and gas are thoroughly mixedbefore passing to the burner, which is provided over its top with aperforated plate of (No model.)

metal, 5, which constitutes a cover for the mingling-chamber, andthrough which the air and gas pass and are burned.

7 represents the supply-pipe,through which 5 5 the liquid hydrocarbon isdelivered to the vaporizer and burner, said pipe being furnished with asuitable regulating-valve, 9, by means of which theamount of hydrocarbonto be delivered to the burner may be predetermined or regulated. Thissupplypipe is connected to a vaporizer, 11, which is preferably filledwith small tacks, pebbles, or other suitable obstructions, as shown inFigs. 2, 8, and 4. This vaporizer is formed of a short length of pipe ortubing, which is preferably arranged horizontally and directly over theperforated metal plate 5, and communicates with the retort orsnperheater 18, which is formed of a smaller tube or pipe than saidvaporizer, and is also arranged horizontally and directly over saidperforated plate 5. An inclined tube, la, is connected to said retort orsuperheater 13, preferably at a point near its delivery end, extendsdownward to a point below the bottom of the mingling-chamberg, and thelower end is provided with a suitable needle-valve, 17

By constructing the vaporizer ll of a larger piece of pipe than thatforming the superheater or retort 13 the liquid is allowed sufli- 8ocient space to expand and become fully vaporized before being deliveredinto the smaller pipe constituting the retort, where it is more confinedand superheated and converted into gas. I

I prefer to provide the retort or superheater 13 with a core, 19,extending lengthwise thereof and leaving a small narrow annular spacebetween the same and the interior of said superheater, whereby the vaporor gas is 0 caused to' pass therethrough in a thin annular stream orsheet, and thus be in pro p'er condition to be subjected to an intenselyhigh heat from the flame 0f the burner passing around the pipe or tubeof said retort or superheater. This core is preferably provided with aseries of rings, 2].,which serve to retard the progress or How of thegas through the superheater or retort, for the purpose of holding it fora longer time in contact with the heated walls thereof. The burner shownin Fig. 4 is provided with a smooth core in the superheating-chamber,

while the burner shown in Fig. 3 has no core; but I prefer to provideand use said core in all instances, since there will be merely a thinsheet or film of gas between the same and the.

gling-chamber 3, has its open end in line with,

the needle-valve I7 and but a short distance therefrom,extendssubstantially the full length of said mingling-chamber, and ispreferably made in one piece therewith. This chamber is also providedwith a slightlycurved abutment or retarding projection, 27, which isarranged above the inner open end of the tube 25 and forms adeflecting-surface for the air and gas passing through said tube 25,causing them to be thrown backward through the mingling-chamber, wheresaid air and gas become thoroughly mixed 1 before they pass through theperforated metal plate. I also prefer to arrange a conical spreader, 29,in the open end of the tube 25, so that the gas will strike against itand be spread out and thereby become better mixed with the air passinginto said tube. A distributing -plate, 3l,'is also preferably arrangedwithin the minglingchamber at a point a short distance below theperforated metal plate 5, for the purpose of equalizing and distributingthe gas within said chamber. This distributing-plate is provided with aseries of perforations of different degrees of fineness, those along theend thereof which is nearest the gas-inlet opening of the chamber beingsmaller than those toward the other end thereof. The smallerperforations in the plate will not permit at the same pressare as muchgas to pass therethrough as passes through the larger perforations alongthe other end thereof. Thus, while the upward pressure of gas along theend of the plate toward the inlet-opening of the chamber is considerablystronger than it is along the other end thereof,

a substantially equal flow of said gas through all parts of theperforated plate will be secured.

1n the modification shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the vaporizer 11passes up through the mingling-chamber 3, and the tube 25 is providedwith the cup or depression 35 for catching any unvaporized oil that maypass through said tube; also, in this instance of my invention adrip-cup, 37, is arranged beneath the mingling-chamber and surrounds thevaporizer, and I also employ a catch-basin, 39, for conveying into saiddrip-cup 37 any oil that may escape from any part of the burner.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown the vaporizer 11 arranged at oneside of the bu rner proper, and the superheater or retort 13 extendingthe full length of said burner and provided with a closely-fittingsmooth core, 19, which extends from end to end thereof. Themingling-chamber 3 in this instance is of eoni cal form, and is providedwith an inlet at its bottom and with a retarding-plate, 41,between theend of the tube 25 and the perforated plate 5. I The air and gas passingthrough the tube 25 strike the under side of this plate and aredeflected outward equally in all directions within the chamber, and,being thus retarded andequalized,they will pass upward through theperforated metal plate 5 in a substantially uniform manner.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the liquid hydrocarbon isfirst vaporized in the vaporizer 11; that in its vaporized state it.

will then pass into the retort or superheater 13, where it will beraised to a higher temperature, and that it will then pass through thetube 15, through the valve 17, with considerable force, and into thetube 25, carrying with it a sufficient amount of air to cause perfectcombustion. The air and gas as they enter the tube 25 impinge againstthe cone-shaped deflector 29, are thrown outward against the wall ofsaid tube,and become thoroughly commingled. The air and gas thus mixedtogether then pass along the tube 25 and strike against the curvedabutment 27 at the end of the mingling-chamber,whereby they are thrownback into said chamber, where they become intimately mingled, then passupward through the perforated equalizing-plate 31, and then through theperforated metal plate 5, where they are ignited. A perfect combustionof the gas is thus obtained and the intensity of the flame rendered veryhigh.

Having thus fully described the construction,arrangement, and operationof the several parts of my invention, what I claim as new is-- 1. In ahydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination, with a burner and avalve for regulating the supply of vapor or gas thereto, of asuperheater or retort, which is straight from end to end, arrangedhorizontally over and close to said burner and provided with aclosely-fitting internal core, whereby the vapor or gas is spread out ina thin sheet or film and adapted to be readily superheated,substantially as described.

2. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination, with themingling-chamber 3, provided with the perforated metal plate 5,

of the superheater or retort arranged horizontally over said chamber andprovided with a closely-fitting core, 19, the tube 15, the needlevalve17, and the tube 25, arranged opposite said valve and communicating withthe lower part of said mingling-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination, with themingling-chamber 3, provided with the perforated metal plate 5, of thevaporizer 11, and the superheater or retort 13, communicating with saidvaporizer and provided with an internal closely-fitting core, 19, andarranged horizontally over said chamber, substantially as described.

4. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination, with themingling-chamber 3, provided with the perforated plate 5, the vaporizer11, formed of an enlarged piece of pipe, the superheater or retort 13,formed of a smaller pipe than that of said vaporizer and arrangedhorizontally over said chamber and provided with an internalclosely-fitting core, 19, substantiaily as and for the purposedescribed.

5. A hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner provided with a minglingchainber,3, a tube,

25, arranged horizontally beneath and communicating with the interior ofsaid eliamber,and the curved abutment or deflecting-surface 27, arrangedwithin said chamber near the inner end of said tube, substantially asand for the purpose described.

6. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination of theminglingehamber 3, the tube 25, arranged horizontally beneath andcommunicating with said chamber, the perforated retardingplate 31,arranged within said chamber and formed with perforations decreasing insize toward the end of said chamber which is nearest the inner open endof said tube, substantially as described.

7. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination of amingling-chamber provided with a curved abutment or deflectingsurface onits interior surface, a tube communicating with said chamber andarranged with its open inner end in proximity to said abut ment, and aperforated retarding-plate formed with perforations decreasing in sizetoward the end of said chamber which is nearest the end of said tube,substantially as described.

8. A hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner provided with a minglingchamber,3, a tube, 25, a spreader, 29, anjabutment or deflectingsurface, 27, aretardingplate, 31, formed with differentsized perforations, and aperforated burner-plate, 5, substantially as described.

9. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination of themingling-chamber 3, the vaporizer 11, the superheater or retort 13,arranged horizontally over said chamber, the tube 15, provided with thevalve 17, the tube 25, arranged horizontally beneath and communicatingwith said chamber and having its outer open end arranged opposite saidvalve, and the spreader 29, arranged within said tube, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

10. In a hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner, the combination, with themingling-chamber 3, of the superheater or retort 13, which is straightfrom end to end and arranged horizontally ever said chamber,and providedwith the core-1.9, having" the series of rings 2l,substantiall y as andfor the purpose described.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand this 3d day of May,1888.

\VILBUR F. STEELE.

In presence of- XVM. Garnsruw, A. 0. PAUL.

